Indonesian Journal of Linguistics

Multimodal Literacy and Visual Grammar in ESP Vocabulary Development: Insights from Air Force Training

Tran Hong Lam — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: This action research study investigates the effectiveness of visual grammar and multimodal resources in teaching and learning specialised English vocabulary within the Air Force context, drawing on Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual grammar theory and Unsworth’s multimodal literacy framework. Objective: The research examines how the compositional, interactive, and representational meanings of visual materials impact vocabulary acquisition and retention among Air Force personnel. Methods: The study analyses how visual design elements and multimodal resources support learning specialised Air Force terminology through iterative planning, implementation, observation, and reflection cycles. Python was used to automate the evaluation of visual materials against established criteria, providing an objective, data-driven analysis of their effectiveness. Data triangulation is achieved through three primary collection tools: semi-structured interviews with learners, classroom observation checklists focusing on learner engagement with visual materials, and vocabulary achievement tests measuring retention and comprehension. Results: The findings reveal how specific visual grammar elements influence vocabulary learning effectiveness, offering systematic criteria for selecting and designing visual materials in Air Force ESP instruction. Conclusion: This research contributes practical guidelines for implementing theoretically grounded visual choices in military ESP contexts while advancing understanding of the application of multimodal literacy in specialised vocabulary instruction.

Interpreting the Metaphors and Meaning in Queen’s Song Another One Bites the Dust

Wita Nur Fadilla wita — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Metaphor is widely used in song lyrics to express complex meanings, emotions, and experiences through familiar figurative images. Objective: This study analyzes the metaphors, meanings, and metaphorical functions in Queen’s song “Another One Bites the Dust,” including the phrase “another one bites the dust” as a euphemism for death in relation to the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting. Method: Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this study applies semantic analysis and Jakobson’s language-function framework to identify, interpret, and classify metaphorical expressions in the lyrics. Results: The study identifies 15 metaphorical expressions classified into four functions: poetic, connotative, referential, and emotive. The poetic function is dominant, especially in metaphors related to death, defeat, threat, and violence, while the central phrase “another one bites the dust” becomes significant because it is used both in the song’s narrative and reportedly in the Santa Fe shooting context to mark death. Conclusion: The study shows that the song’s cultural resonance lies not only in its musical popularity but also in its layered metaphors, which allow meanings of emotional defeat, violence, and death to circulate across different contexts.

Penyimpangan Maksim Kerja Sama sebagai Strategi Penciptaan Humor di 'Lapor Pak': Analisis Pragmatik Ideologis

Luthfi Teyfa, Martutik, Gatot Susanto — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Latar Belakang: Acara komedi televisi Indonesia Lapor Pak! menjadi ruang strategis untuk menyampaikan kritik sosial, politik, dan birokrasi melalui kemasan humor. Pada segmen roasting, humor dibangun melalui pelanggaran Maksim Prinsip Kerja Sama Grice Kuantitas, kualitas, relevansi, dan cara yang menghasilkan implikatur lucu sekaligus menyelipkan kritik terselubung. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan mekanisme pelanggaran maksim sebagai strategi pembentukan humor, mengidentifikasi jenis humor yang muncul, serta mengungkap pesan ideologis yang terkandung dalam tuturan roasting penelitian menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan analisis wacana pragmatik deskriptif analitis. Data berupa 25 tuturan representatif dari 15 video roasting di kanal youtube trans7 official, dipilih melalui purposive sampling berdasarkan isu sosial, politik, dan birokrasi. Metode: Analisis dilakukan melalui proses transkripsi, identifikasi pelanggaran maksim, kategorisasi jenis humor menggunakan GTVH, serta penafsiran ideologi melalui analisis wacana kritis. Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pelanggaran maksim, terutama maksim kualitas (48%) dan relevansi (32%), menjadi strategi dominan dalam penciptaan humor. Jenis humor yang muncul meliputi sarkasme, ironi, ejekan, hiperbola, dan dark humor. Kesimpulan: Secara ideologis, humor mengangkat kritik mengenai relasi kekuasaan, kebijakan publik struktur sosial-hukum, dan inefisiensi birokrasi. Kesimpulannya, pelanggaran maksim efektif menjadi sarana humor sekaligus alat penyampai kritik sosial yang dapat diterima audiens.

A Syntactic Analysis of Interrogatives Sentences in Taylor Swift’s 1989 Album

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: This study contains an analysis of the structure and role of interrogative sentences in Taylor Swift's 1989 album (2014). The interrogative sentences in her song lyrics express emotions such as doubt and heartbreak, creating personal and interesting meanings. Although pop lyrics are often analysed based on theme, grammatical aspects, especially interrogative sentences, are still under-explored. Objective: To address this gap, the present study analyses interrogative sentences in eight songs from 1989 using a qualitative descriptive approach. Method: In this album, only eight of the 21 songs contain interrogative sentences. The study adopts the classification of English interrogative sentence types proposed by Quirk et al. to identify yes/no questions, WH-questions, and tag questions. The data consist of 24 interrogative sentences identified from the official song lyrics. Data were collected through documentation, classified according to their syntactic forms, and interpreted based on their contextual meanings. Results: The findings reveal that yes/no questions dominate the corpus with 19 occurrences (79%), followed by five WH-questions (21%), whereas tag questions are absent. Yes/no questions, such as ‘Is it over now?’, use inversion to convey surprise or regret. WH questions, such as ‘What was shiny?’, build drama by asking for specific details. This study shows that interrogative sentences create tension and connection with listeners, especially in the chorus. Conclusion: By combining syntax and pragmatics, this study reveals how Swift's questions mimic everyday conversation. This research contributes to linguistics by highlighting the importance of grammar in music

Illocutionary Acts Analysis Reflecting Moral Values in the Animated Series Sofia The First

Nasywa Salsabila Fitranti — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: This study examines the use of illocutionary acts in the animated series Sofia the First, focusing on the most dominant types of speech acts and the moral values reflected through the utterances. Language in animated series functions not only as a means of communication, but also as a medium to convey certain messages to the audience through the characters’ speech. Objective: Therefore, this study aims to identify the dominant types of illocutionary acts used by the main character, Sofia, and to analyse the moral values reflected through these speech acts. Method: This study employs a qualitative approach with a discourse analysis research design. The data consist of 274 utterances produced by Sofia in three episodes: The Big Sleepover, Let the Good Times Troll, and Blue Ribbon Bunny. The analysis of illocutionary speech acts is based on Searle’s (1979) theory, while the analysis of moral values refers to the framework proposed by Linda and Eyre (1993). Results: The findings show that directive speech acts are the most dominant type (38.3%), followed by representative (35%), expressive (21.2%), and commissive (5.5%), while declarative speech acts were not found. Directive speech acts reflect moral values categorized under the Value of Giving, including unselfishness, sensitivity, justice, and kindness. Conclusion: These findings indicate that speech acts in animated series are not merely pragmatic, but also contribute to educational purposes in conveying moral messages and supporting character development in children.

A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Romantic Meaning Construction in Elemental (2023) Movie

Nabila Rohmatul Azizah — Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Modern animated movies no longer serve solely as entertainment, but as complex multimodal texts that construct emotional meaning. The movie Elemental (2023) presents a unique romantic story between two opposing elements, fire and water, which represent love, difference, and acceptance. However, most previous studies still use a monomodal approach that focuses only on dialogue, thus failing to reveal the depth of romantic meaning constructed through a combination of various semiotic modes. Objective: This study aims to explain how romantic meaning is constructed through the interaction of verbal, visual, audio, and gestural modes in the movie Elemental (2023) and to enrich the study of Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) in animated movies. Methods: This study uses a qualitative descriptive design with a Multimodal Discourse Analysis approach based on Kress and van Leeuwen's social semiotics framework and Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics. The data consists of selected scenes that represent the development of the romantic relationship between the characters Ember and Wade. Results: The results show that romantic meaning in Elemental movie is constructed gradually through the collaboration of four semiotic modes. The visual and audio modes play a dominant role in expressing emotions, while the verbal and gestural modes reinforce the characters' interpersonal closeness and inner conflicts. Conclusion: This study concludes that romantic meaning in animated movies is constructed holistically through complementary multimodal interactions. These findings contribute to the development of MDA studies in animated movies and open up opportunities for further research related to audience reception analysis and cross-cultural comparisons.